Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #83: Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson

Teams

Los Angeles Raiders (1987-1990)

Playoffs

Appearances - 1 (1990)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1990)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 1 (1990)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #31

League Leads

Yards per Rush (#2-1990, #3-1989)

Rushing Yards per Game (#4-1989, #7-1990)

Yards per Touch (#9-1990, #10-1989)

Following a senior season at Auburn in which he rushed for 1786 yards and 17 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy, Bo Jackson was selected with the #1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When he discovered that the Bucs had lied to him about his visit to them being allowed by the NCAA, he declared that he would never play for them, and signed with the Kansas City Royals of MLB instead.

The following year, the Los Angeles Raiders drafted Bo in the 7th round of the draft, and after they made it clear that they would allow him to play out the baseball season before joining the team each year, he decided to join the team.

He played only 7 games in his rookie season due to his time with the Royals, but picked up 554 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, while averaging an amazing 6.8 yards per carry, and he came in second in Rookie of the Year voting despite the severely shortened season.

By his third season, he was definitely one of the top running backs in the game. He rushed for 950 yards in just 11 games and surpassed 1000 scrimmage yards, then followed it up by making the Pro Bowl in his 4th season after averaging 5.6 yards per carry, second-best in the league.

The Raiders made the playoffs for the first and only time in his career that year, but Jackson suffered a hip dislocation after being tackled in a victory over the Bengals during that postseason. The injury caused the tissue in his hip to die, requiring a hip replacement and the end of his football career, though he would play a few more years of pro baseball.

Despite never playing a full football season due to his dual career, Jackson was one of the best running backs in the league whenever he took the field. He is the only athlete in history to be named an All-Star in 2 different pro sports, and is one of only 4 players to have multiple 90-yard runs in his career. Who knows how great he could have been, but there is no doubt that he was one of the greatest to ever play the game.